How important is it to belong to a writing group?

Membership might be helpful. But if you can't afford it, just let it drop. I think previous publishing credits and quality of writing will be more important.

More knowledgeable people should be coming soon.

If you don't see the benefits, it's probably not worth the money.

I figure a good hook and a well written story will go a lot further than paid memberships that are open to the general public.

I refuse to join RWA. I don't think it's worth the money. I belong to free online writers groups more because it's nice to be around people who are writers and want to discuss work than for any phrase I could add to the bottom of a query letter.

I'd like to weigh in on this from the perspective of one who parks on the other side of the desk. I think writers groups - especially RWA, SFFA - are invaluable because they give so much information about writing and the industry.

Writing is a solitary endeavor, and it's all too easy to become isolated. This opens the writer up to committing the same types of newbie writer errors over and over again. They never progress. Writers need to stay in touch with the outside world, have a good crosshatch of beta readers, people who will offer constructive and informative crits. From what I've been told, RWA and SFFA have lots of mini crit groups.

Just my .02 worth.

If the question is whether to stay in a group that gives you nothing you value, so you can claim membership in queries--I would say no. Just on principle. I am an ex-member of two such organisations and a current member of one--the one I find helpful. I doubt anyone assumes a writer has extra worth based on memberships.

veinglory said:

If the question is whether to stay in a group that gives you nothing you value, so you can claim membership in queries--I would say no. Just on principle. I am an ex-mem,ber of two such organisations and a current member of one--the one I find helpful. I doubt anyone assumes a writer has extra worth based on memberships.

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I have to agree. But I will say that being in a writer's group is extremely important and valueable. Without my local writer's group (free at Barnes and Nobles) and AW, I would not be anywhere near where i'm at today.

My belief is that the writing is the only thing that publishers care about.

If they can't make it pass the first couple of paragraphs, then they will never reach BIO. Right?

But again, if you really aren't using the group, then it is a waste of money. If you are using the group and it is helping your writing, then pony up the dough. Otherwise, let it go.

my $0.02

Mel...

If the writer's group isn't helping you out, then let it lapse. But I think having at least one beta writer is important so you have fresh eyes to catch any typos and the like. Is there a local writer's group near you? I happen to have two and they're both good for me.

I don't think we are talking about critique groups here but professional organisations/guilds--very different things. One would not mention a critique group in a query. As a rule a professional membership can say something about your skills only if membership is limited or exclusive, it may say a little about your commitment if it is not.